1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical lenses, and more particularly to a contact lens having an opaque simulated iris pattern for cosmetic enhancement and/or visual correction.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical contact lenses are frequently utilized for cosmetic effect. For example, it is known to wear a colored contact lens on the eye in an effort to alter the apparent color of the wearer's iris. Colorants such as dyes or pigments of a desired color or colors are applied to a contact lens in a pattern adapted to overlie the natural iris, thereby altering the natural iris color. Such contact lenses may provide vision correction, or may be solely cosmetic.
Creating a realistic, natural iris appearance has proven to be difficult with many known color-changing lenses. For example, the natural iris is relatively flat, whereas a typical contact lens has a significant convex-concave curvature adapted to generally match the curvature of the cornea. As a result, the use of a simulated iris pattern applied to either the concave or convex face of a contact lens often creates the unnatural appearance of a curved iris.
Attempts have been made to provide a color-changing contact lens that imparts a more natural appearance. For example, colorant may be applied to a lens in a non-opaque, color-changing iris pattern that does not completely obscure the underlying natural iris pattern. The pattern may be applied, for example, in the form of a series of colored dots producing an intermittent colored pattern over the iris area of the lens, but leaving a number of uncolored interstices between the dots. The natural iris of the wearer shows through these clear interstices, purportedly providing a more natural iris pattern and giving the appearance of depth.
It is also known to cut away a portion of a lens blank and imprint a simulated iris pattern onto the surface of the lens blank formed by the cutout. Lens material is then re-cast over the imprinted iris pattern to replace the cutout portion and encapsulate the pattern within the lens body. This process, however, is somewhat labor intensive and time consuming, and is therefore relatively expensive.
Many color-changing lenses are designated as “opaque” in the marketplace, simply by virtue of their use of colorants that have opaque properties. The manner in which the “opaque” colorants are applied to a lens, however, typically results in the lens pattern itself not being truly opaque. For example, even if the colorant comprising each individual dot is itself opaque, the iris pattern formed by a plurality of such dots is typically not opaque, as light and color are readily transmitted through the interstices between adjacent dots in the pattern. As a result, some of the wearer's natural eye color shows through the lens. This is particularly problematic when a user seeks to change a darker natural eye color to a lighter color.
Accordingly, it has been found desirable to provide a contact lens having a fully opaque iris pattern for color alteration, but presenting a realistic, natural appearance. It is also desirable to provide an efficient method for manufacturing such a lens. It is to the provision of contact lenses and associated methods of manufacture meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.